they scarcely knew what. Their reception had been anything but cordial, and, considering that

" asked Bert, as he took off his ca

dubiously as he turned the collar o

ul chap-not,"

note of defiance in his voice. "If we've damaged his corn I'm wil

imed in Jack. "Wha

d gone to the barn and in a few moments he returned carrying a light that

rumbled the man. "I don't see what right a passel of you

t provoked. "We didn't do it on purpose. If we

fence over which the boys had leaped into his yard, and, swinging the lan

he muttered. "I thought so, an' that's my best field

that seldom occurred to him. "Tell us what the damage is, and I'll settle.

eered the, man. "Th' fust thing they ought t

hat the damage i

not until mor

d you can send your bill to Elmwood Hall. Fair

the farmer. "I'll attend to that, and ye'll pa

suppose you'll charge us double, but we'

the man swinging his lantern

kindly direct us to the right road? And as soon as your bill comes in I'll settle it, though I want to sa

story. I know you fres

d Tom impatiently. "We don't

I'll not show you, and the sooner you

asperation, for he was cold and wet, and the prospect of reporting in

d the man. "Be off, now, or

he lantern with him, and shutting the door after him. It seemed darker than eve

ect!" murmu

going to do

original grouch all r

e'll

about. "I think I see something like a gate leadin

ashing through the mud

ghtning, which showed t

oad, and a little late

eaded towa

up," proposed Bert, and

others are as badly of

t," came f

e running," remarked Bert.

ging to see the dial of his

Jack. "It's a

a little later they saw the w

. Porter, the proctor, as they filed in the

ent-we got lost,

mer wouldn't show us

. Report to the doctor," was al

about it. He listened to their explanati

to the rooms of some of their chums, they learned that they were fully three-

good time?" asked Tom,

among the first ones in.

e out of the ga

ou back. However, I'll do what I can.

" groaned Bert. "I'll sleep

bled into bed, and, though they had been well soake

ng about their ill-luck in being outside the time limit fo

neered Sam, when he saw his enemy, and th

d Nick, "after we made th

who was at least on speaking terms with Sam and his crony. "A

his face. "Well, you can't always trust farm hands," and

tor Meredith calle

laint made against you

orn of one-er-Jed App

a memoranda. "He says y

ill is-te

dn't do half that damage!

farmers hereabout," warned the head of the school.

bill and went out. "If he got a dollar he'd be getting more than the corn we trampled wa

f Mr. Appleby extended to within a short distance of the school grounds. At least

ing the score, "he could have shown us the way through his hay fie

g a big pile of hay that was s

asked Jack, as his chum en

im, or treat him to a coat of tar and feathers. It isn't the ten dollars tha

Tom, gathering up some packages from h

awning and tossing aside a book

r a walk," repli

any co

mark, which would seem to indica

eanuts if you go past Pop's plac

without awakening them, as he supposed, he u

m?" murmured

es

queer? Have yo

olley and there were some fe

be you," for neither Tom

reathing heavily, and Tom, too,

awakened them

's a fire somewhere. I can see the

nd Jack, going to the

e of the school bui

ied. "Some of Farmer Appleby's hay ricks are on fire, or

ves him right. He gouged us enough to pa